True to his moniker of Money Mayweather, the five-division world champion is financing this Saturday night spectacular to the tune of more than $8 million dollars.

Khan, like the rest of the cast of this glitzy show on the Las Vegas Strip, is being paid by Mayweather Promotions.

And even though he is being made to wait for his shot at Mayweather he is getting the same financial reward as Marcos Maidana, the Argentinian who has supplanted the lightning Boltonian in the main event.

Mayweather is building a business empire as, at 37, he nears the end of his thus-far undefeated career..

The investment in this bill is aimed at strengthening Mayweather Promotions but it also gives a strong indication that he does intend to fight Khan before he quits the ring. That $1.5 million is enough to keep Britain’s former two-time world champion on hold, probably until this time next year.

Mayweather is bankrolling this gala night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena out of the minimum $32 million – certain to rise above $40 million through pay-TV sales – which he is guaranteed by the Showtime cable network.

After this world welterweight championship uniification joust with Maidana he will have three bouts left on the six-fight contract with Showtime which is expected to enrich him by almost $300 million.

Unless Maidana, Khan or anyone else upsets the odds during the course of that deal he would then be in position to equal Rocky Marciano’s landmark of retiring as unbeaten world champion after 49 fights.

Alternatively, he could hold an auction for the TV rights for him finally fighting Manny Pacquaio in what would be the richest fight of all time.

Meanwhile Mayweather is working his way through lesser, albeit decent opponents.

Bring it on: Khan and Collazo face off on Thursday during the final press conference

Laughing it off: Leonard Ellerbe is the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, who are paying Khan the $1.5m

Maidana leap-frogged over Khan, who has already beaten him, by virtue of a thunderous victory over Mayweather protégée Adrien Broner and there is no denying that he is a huge puncher.

Even so, Khan looks to be facing the more difficult fight as he steps up from light-welterweight for the first time. His opponent, Luis Collazo, is a big welterweight and an established force in that division.

Ricky Hatton, who was extended to the limit in his world title fight with Collazo, believes this is a tougher fight for his friend Khan than Mayweather would be.

Khan himself says: ‘I believe that with my speed I have the tools in my box to give Floyd a whole heap of problems.’

Those opinions are not shared by Floyd Snr, trainer and father of Mayweather. He says: ‘Amir would have more chance of knocking out King Kong than he would my son.’

Number one: Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana pose at their weigh-in ahead of the fight

May the best man win: The pair have been full of trash talk in the weeks leading up to the main event

Khan replies: ‘Odd that. When Floyd Snr was training me he told me he could instruct me on how to beat his boy because I have the speed to do it.’

For ‘The Moment’ – as this event is being billed – Khan has to focus on beating Collazo. This is a watershed point in the resurrection of his career after two defeats and it comes after a year spent out of the ring waiting, in vain, for Mayweather to confirm him as this week’s opponent.

Khan freely admits: ‘I can’t afford to lose because if I do I can kiss the Mayweather fight goodbye. I would have to go back to the bottom and start all over again.’

He knows he needs not only to win but to look good doing so. He says: ‘I intend to impress, to show everyone around the world what an exciting boxer Amir Khan is. This is a huge event and I believe I can steal the show because Floyd will beat Maidana comfortably.’

Khan insists he is stronger at the new weight of 147 lbs, not least because ‘I no longer have to kill myself dieting to get down to light-welter.’

Undefeated: Mayweather will be looking to continue his fine streak

The challenger: Maidana will be 'no pushover', according to Floyd

He reminds us, also, that he has spent eight of the 12 months since his last fight working hard in the San Francisco gym of his trainer Virgil Hunter.

Even so, he needs to box clever as well as quick as he adjusts to the heavier punching he must expect from bigger rivals. He seems aware of that when he sees: ‘This is a chance to get my feet wet at welterweight before I get into the ring with Mayweather.’

Khan has a tendency to react when he takes a big shot by going to war but it is an instinct he must curb.

He does have the skills set and the speed to outclass Collazo and he can still dazzle the sell-out crowd if the fight goes the distance.

Big expectations: Khan has vowed to entertain more than Mayweather in Las Vegas on Saturday

Opportunity: It is Khan's chance to finally show he is ready for a shot at the undefeated Mayweather

‘That’s right,’ he says. ‘I have been KO’d a couple of times but I’ve never been out-boxed and I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who can do that, not even Floyd. I must be patient and not go looking for that knock-out. Just take it if the chance comes.’

Mayweather himself is overdue a knock-out and although that is Maidana’s speciality there is a possibility that the man from the pampas could be on the wrong end of a stoppage this time.

Maidana is liable to expose himself as he launches himself at Mayweather but he says: ‘I don’t think Floyd has been in a street fight before. For too long too many of his opponents have given him too much respect. I will hit him at some at point and when I do it will hurt him and I will finish him off.’

The casino odds-makers disagree, quoting Maidana as a 15-1 underdog.

So does Iron Mike Tyson, a Las Vegas resident these days, who says in his typically forthright fashion: ‘Maidana, no chance.’

Doing his bit: Mayweather and representatives from Golden Boy Promotions, MGM Resorts International and UFC president among others hold shovels to toast the new 20,000 capacity sports and entertainment arena in Las Vegas

Time to shine: British youngster Anthony Ogogo is also on the Las Vegas undercard

Further down this bumper card Broner needs victory over Carlos Molina to get back on track and Anthony Ogogo, Britain’s middleweight bronze medallist at the London Olympics, should beat New York journeyman Jonuel Tapia in his first fight in Vegas.

As for the main attractions, expect another master-class in the art of self defence and counter attack to result in a unanimous decision in favour of Mayweather, then Khan to match that result with a decisive points victory of his own.

Mayweather-Maidana and Khan-Collazo will be televised live on BoxNation in the early hours of this Sunday morning.